Jeremy Cameron column: On pub attack, missing shots and ‘Buddy’

Jeremy Cameron speaks publicly for the first time after his unprovoked headbutt attack in his exclusive column.

Jeremy Cameronat training. Picture: Martin Keep/Getty Images

I can’t wait to get out there on Saturday night and hopefully kick a few snags in what is going to be a massive game.

I obviously missed a few shots, kicking one goal from seven goes, against Fremantle last week.

There have been some games where I have been inaccurate and we have won anyway, so sometimes you can brush your own misses aside but because the Dockers game was so important and we didn’t get the win, I was definitely frustrated after the game.

I didn’t nail my chances against Fremantle. Picture: Martin Keep/Getty Images

But you have to put it behind you pretty quickly because we are a red-hot chance to make finals.

The only way to bounce back is to get out there and kick some goals at training.

I was actually reasonably happy with how I played last week, I had plenty of opportunities – even if I didn’t take them – so for me, it has happened before in front of the goals and it will happen again.

Honestly, even after a few misses it didn’t start getting into my head too much.

I knew I wasn’t having my best day but I thought I was influencing the game and obviously would have even more if I was kicking straight.

Some days you kick seven straight other days you miss them and this week I got back to basics in front of the goals.

I would have had a few more shots this week at training but I quite often have heaps of shots anyway and it would be a bit silly if I went overboard and took 1000 attempts.

I went back to my routine on the track this week, making sure I got it right from close in and then steadily went further back for more long-range shots.

I love snapping the ball and working on torpedoes and those kind of things that you do actually use in a game but this week I really went back to my routine to make sure I got that right.

Things will be a bit different this week without ‘Hawk’. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

It will be a bit different against Port Adelaide, I haven’t played a game for the Cats yet without my forward mate Tom Hawkins, who is out with a minor hammy injury.

I might have to put on a few more kilos and start pushing people around like big Hawk does!

He plays such an important role and has been such a pillar for us, it is something I thought about only at our main training on Wednesday – that I will play without him – but I am looking forward to the challenge and somebody will come in and play the role.

We are still very positive in our game and while we know we have to win three of the last four games of the season to get into finals, I’m backing us to take it up to Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

The challenge is there for us and we are ready to attack it and take it on.

THANKS, BUDDY

I started playing football at a pretty late age, in my mid-teens, and at that time Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin had just come on the scene.

Things happened really quickly for ‘Buddy’ and he booted 100 goals in just his fourth season and as someone who loved footy, I just fell in love with watching him, especially given he was a left-footer who would just roam all over the park.

Lance Franklin was a superstar from very early on.

As a young kid coming through you start to dream about being a footballer and I found myself practising to be like ‘Buddy’.

I just wanted to one day be a quarter of the player he was and even having played a few games now, I still think he is an absolute, genuine superstar.

I was at the Giants when the rumours were swirling that ‘Buddy’ was leaving the Hawks

The whispers at the time said he would end up with us in orange and I would be sharing a changeroom with the great man but it turned out we were cross-town rivals.

Crossing paths with the great man. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

There is no doubt he had a huge impact on Sydney and the amount of kids playing footy now up there, a lot of that is thanks to ‘Buddy’ and the mark he has left up there.

He has well and truly earned the chance to put his feet up after retiring this week, what a champion.

ONE LAST THING

Lastly, I thought I would address the incident from last Saturday that made the news this week.

I felt completely fine after what happened at the Barwon Club and there were no injuries afterwards.

These things do happen from time to time when people are in the public eye but I moved on from it pretty quickly.

I am just happy I am okay and nobody was injured, I was in a small group at the time and we all reacted in the right way and the club handled it really well.

I was back at training without any troubles this week and we will move on from that moment and I have turned my attention to what will be a big game on Saturday night.

Originally published as Jeremy Cameron column: On pub attack, missing shots and ‘Buddy’